Altered Lives
by Seriyu-the-ice-dragon
Summary: It is an AU story where Rinoa was raised as a SeeD, and Squall was raised by General Caraway.
1. Beginnings

Author's Notes: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII.

This is just a fun idea I had, at how different the story would play out had Squall and Rinoa's places been switched.

Two figures, one male in a silver ankle length jacket and the other female in a black, leather waist high jacket and miniskirt, stand facing each other in a rocky terrain, their gunblades(Swords with handgun grips for hilts) glinting in the sunlight. They give each other a duelist's salute and then charge at each other. The man thrusts his blade towards the woman and she deflects it upward and counters with a slash to the man's leg, only putting a cut into his pants leg.

The man, looking down to his leg, lets out a laugh and then punches the girl in the stomach and then kicks her six feet away. As she struggles to get up, he fires off a fist sized fireball at the dazed woman. She only had enough time to raise her gunblade over her face in an attempt to block the magic attack, the fireball exploding on impact with the gunblade and sending flames into her hair igniting it with magic induced flames. The man laughing as the woman thrashes around trying to put her hair out.

The woman grabs hold of her long hair and with her gunblade she cuts off a large piece of her hair. After seeing that she wasn't taken out so easily the man runs up to her, as she tried to defend herself the man slashes the woman across the face leaving a deep gash between her right eye and nose. The man lets out a smirk as he walks away, thinking himself victorious, not aware that the woman was getting up. After standing, she charges at him and yells as she drags her gunblade against the ground and as the man turns around gets a slash across his face, between his left eye and nose. Afterwards the woman passes out, exhausted.

The woman opens her eyes to see a bright light from the ceiling blinding her as she tried to open them and a faint voice saying something that she just can't make out. After awhile her eyes get use to light and the voice and other images start to become clearer. After the images clear, and her mind settles, she sees a woman in the white coat, a few moments later she realizes where she was.

"Crap." Is the entirety the young woman said as she let out a sigh and puts her hand to her face. Wincing as she touches the fresh gash between her eye and nose.

"Are you ok? You were coming in and out for the last 20 minutes." Said the doctor, Kadowaki

"……….Yea I'm fine. Just feel like my face was nearly cut in two, but other than that, peachy keen." The young woman said while looking at Dr. Kadowaki with a look that said 'I'm in no mood right now'

"That's good to hear. But I'm going to have to do a few more tests just to be sure. Just follow the light with your eyes." Dr. Kadowaki said with a small smirk at the woman's joke.

Dr. Kadowaki takes a small pen light from her breast pocket, turns on a small light and shines the light into the woman's eyes and moves the lights back and forth. After checking to see that the woman's eyes dilated properly, Dr. Kadowaki turned off the pen light and replaced it.

"You're eyes seem to be focusing and I see no other injuries. Now if I could just have your name for the Balamb Garden files." Dr. Kadowaki said as the young woman rolled her eyes. "Don't give me that look. We need these for every time you kids get hurt while training."

"……..It's Rinoa Furey". Rinoa said after awhile. And then lay back down on the bed she was laying in.

"All right, Miss Rinoa Furey. Why don't you take it easy in your trainings? Next time may be your last." Dr. Kadowaki says as she writes down Rinoa's name on a medical pad.

"Tell that to Seifer." Rinoa sharply replies.

"That guy won't listen to anyone. Just try to walk away next time." Dr. Kadowaki

"I'm not going to runaway, if that's what you are suggesting." Rinoa replied with her fist pounding on the med bed she was sitting on.

"Whatever, it's your body. Just lay here and I'll call your instructor to pick you up". Dr. Kadowaki says as she walks over to the intercom on her desk. "Miss Quistis, your student is ready to be picked up…..Yes, she's fine. The injury isn't very serious; it'll probably just leave a scar…….Right, she'll be right here when you get here."

As this was going on, Rinoa laid there as a woman in green and white looked at her from behind the window in the next room.

"Is that you, Rinny? Wow, haven't seen you in ages?" The mysterious woman in green said. "We'll have to talk again some other time."

As Rinoa has a slight confused look on her face, the mysterious woman smiles with a wave then walks away. Rinoa then got up from the bed and walked to the sink and removed her bandages. After removing the last of the wrappings around her head and examining the after effects of her training she turned on the faucet and collected some water in her hands and ran her hands through her hair. She let out a wince as the wet water touched the fresh scar and grabbed a rag nearby and dabbed it. She soon went to lie back down on her cot. After a few minutes of waiting, an orange clad woman enters the room and lets out a sigh as she looks at Rinoa.

"I knew it was either you or Seifer. What happened to your hair?" Quistis said with a puzzled look at her student's unusually short hair.

"It was Seifer; he sent a fireball at me. I had to do something and it couldn't be put out. So I had to cut it off." Rinoa said as she brushes her head with her hand and let a sigh.

"It looks nice. I love how it looks." Quistis she gave a little smirk after saying it.

Quistis and Rinoa leave the medical bay and head down the hallway of that massive Military Academy. As they pass many younger students who are all wearing the same blue uniforms, Rinoa and Quistis are quiet. They leave the main hall and head through an open courtyard that is decorated with tables for students to sit and eat or work together. Many students were either walking towards their classes or talking with each other about random subjects.

"There something on your mind?" Quistis asks with a concerned tone in her voice.

"…….Not really." Rinoa and Quistis say at the same time. Quistis then lets out a laugh and stopped where she was standing with Rinoa letting out a sigh and looked at Quistis with small glare in her eyes.

"And what is so funny?" Rinoa says while looking away from Quistis and into the clean air.

"Nothing, I'm just happy. I feel like I understand my student that's all." Quistis said while trying to stop laughing but continuing her laughter.

"Well, I'm much more complex than you think." Rinoa responded while looking at Quistis.

"Oh, do tell then. I want to know more about you." Quistis said teasingly as they both continue across the courtyard. As they walked, they passed a blond haired young man in shin length blue jeans, black boots, black vest, black and red hoodie, and metal braced gloves doing martial arts moves.

"It's none of your……." Rinoa was about to finish before being cut off.

"...Business!" Quistis interrupts and then lets out a small laugh before finishing, "Ok, I've got some things to do, so be in class tomorrow."

Quistis turned and walked away leaving Rinoa alone in the courtyard. Rinoa looks around and then decides to just go to her dorm and sleep. As Rinoa walks through the main Hub of the Academy, she sees men in robes hand rounded triangular hats (The Balamb Garden faculty) helping some students or otherwise just standing there like statues. After turning into the hallway leading to the dorms she sees an average height black man in black pants and open blue vest with an average height woman with one red eye, a black eye patch, white hair, and all blue outfit walking towards the Hub she just came from.

After making it to her room, Rinoa lay down on her bed and as she was falling asleep her last though was _"Damn Seifer."_

Rinoa awoke to her alarm blaring. After banging on the alarm to stop it, Rinoa got up and put on new clothing and grabbing a leftover meat bun from yesterday's lunch. As she ate the small meal, Rinoa made her way to the 2nd floor of the Garden where her class was. Finally making it to her seat, Quistis entered the room and quieted everyone down and then cleared her throat.

"Good morning, class. Let's start with today's schedule, shall we? There seem to have been some rumors flying around since yesterday... Yes, the field exam for SeeD candidates will begin later this afternoon. Those not participating and those who failed last week's written test are to remain here in home room. Field exam participants will have free time until the exam. Just be sure you're in top condition. Meet in the front hall at 1600 hours. Teams will be assigned there. Does anyone have any questions? Good, and one more thing to remember, do try *NOT* to injure any partner you are teamed up with while training." Quistis said in front of the class. While not directing the last sentence to anyone in the class in particular, the blond man in grey named Seifer knew it was him she was talking about. He pounds his fist into his desk and those around him laugh.

"Those of you who are going to participate in their field exams are free from class for the rest of the day. Rinoa, I'd like a word with you, alone please." Quistis finished the class off with that remark, there were some small cheers from some of the class and a few guys let out a whistle at Quistis's final comment which cause a few more laughs and claps. Quistis smiled and ignored the reactions as Rinoa just rolled her eyes. After everyone that had field exams left the class, leaving only a handful of students there, Rinoa went up to Quistis.

"What is this about? I have things needed to be done before tomorrow." Rinoa said as she stared down some of the men in her class who had whistled.

"You haven't been to the Fire Cave yet have you? You won't be able to take part in the SeeD exam if you haven't gone there". Quistis asked while looking up from some of the paper work still at her desk.

"I was going to go, but Seifer…." Rinoa mumbles under her breath.

"Well, do you have any excuse?" Quistis asked, even though she knew the truth.

"No, just forget it." Rinoa said after letting out a small sigh and rolling her eyes.

"Good, now review your studies for the fight ahead and meet me at the front gate." Quistis left the room.

Rinoa went back to her desk and went over the information at her study panel. After turning on her computer, Rinoa found and acquiring the two Guardian Forces: the Thunder Bird Quetzalcoatl and the Ice Queen Shiva. Rinoa got up from her desk and headed towards the door.

"That lucky Rinoa. Got herself a date with Quistis!" one of the men in her class said loud enough for everyone to hear. The group around him laughed, but more people laughed when Rinoa, not even turning around to respond, just simply flipped him off as she turned the corner towards the elevator she heard a loud yell and fast footsteps.

"CRAP! I'm late! I'm late! I'm LATE! I'M LA………" A girl in yellow yelled as she ran into Rinoa. Bouncing off of Rinoa and landed on the ground.

"Ooof!" The girl said after bouncing off of Rinoa, who offered her hand to her.

"You ok?" Rinoa said as she helped up the girl.

"Much better, Tee Hee. I'm fine. Sorry, I was in a hurry to get to home room. You…..didn't come from that calls room did you? Is home room……….over?" The girl said while pointing to the room Rinoa had left.

"Yes it is. If you are taking a field exam, you don't have to worry. We get the rest of the day off." Rinoa had said, guessing that that was why she was rushing to class. Relieved the girl perked up.

"This is a lot bigger than my old Garden. Since, I just transferred here; do you…..think you could give me a tour?" The girl put her hands together and looks up at Rinoa with puppy dog eyes. Rinoa tried to resist but found that she couldn't.

"A regular tour would take too long and I'm kind of busy, so I'll just give you the summary. Follow me." Rinoa said as she walked to the elevator as the girl followed her. While waiting quietly in the elevator the girl broke the silence.

"By the way, my name is Selphie Tilmitt." Selphie then held her hand out

"I'm Rinoa Furey." Rinoa, while looking straight ahead, ignoring the hand. The uncomfortable silence returned and after the doors open up, Rinoa led Selphie to the information booth in front of the elevator.

"We were just up in the classrooms and that's pretty much all that's on the second floor. The Third floor is where Headmaster Cid lives and works and only those he gives permission to aloud there." She says as he points to the elevator.

"On the first floor we have: the Garage, where those with SeeD mission requirements may take the cars out, since all SeeDs live in the Garden. Next we have the dorms where SeeDs and the younger students live." She says while pointing at the symbol on the marquee.

"Here is where the Training Center is located, you have to be careful because dangerous monsters live there and are free to roam around. Next to the Dorms is the Library, all sort of reading materials can be found there. Then we have the Auditorium, some kind of festival is being set up so it's being used right now."

"I'm on the festival committee here! I had several ideas at my old Garden, I went to Trabia by the way, and want to make use of them here" Selphie interrupted. Rinoa simply rolled her eyes and went right back to what she was doing. "

"Here is the cafeteria. You have to get there early otherwise the buns are gone. And then finally there is Dr. Kadowaki's office, she's the resident doctor and a lot of students go to her for advice as well." Rinoa finishes her little 'tour'

"Wow, there's a lot of stuff here. Thanks a lot." Selphie waves by and runs off towards the Auditorium as Rinoa quietly walks towards the front gate.

I'm cutting off Chapter one there. Hope you all enjoyed reading this. Please review.


	2. Fire Cave

Author's Notes: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII

Welcome to Chapter 2. Please read and review

Rinoa had to run to get to the front gate in time, her deciding to help out Selphie had eaten up a lot of her time. She hadn't even asked for the turnstile to be opened, she simply jumped them in order to save time. She did the same for the stairs, hopping 5 steps in order to make it to the front gate.

"Oh, good, you made it with a few minutes to spare. I was worried I would have to go on without you." Quistis said with a smile.

"…….Whatever." Rinoa said while hunched over, nearly out of breath.

"Well, before we head out, we are going to have too junction the GFs that you have. Just give me the Shiva GF and you take the Quetzalcoatl GF, can't make it too easy for you. Now all you do is just concentrate on the GF, picture it entering your mind and making its "home" inside your head. That is where it will stay and were you will call upon its power, when you need it." Quistis said as she took the GF Shiva from Rinoa and junctioned it to her.

"Whatever. Can we just get on with this?" Rinoa said as she juctioned the GF Quetzalcoatl.

"Quiet, this is important. You can junction the magic you have too different parts of your body. That way you can make yourself stronger, healthier, make your attacks more effective against certain enemies, or simply to make yourself faster. All you do is take the spells you have and concentrate on their 'aura' surrounding different parts of your body. If you want to be stronger, for example, imagine the spell going into your muscles. If you want to cast your spells quicker, just imagine the spell surrounding your brain. Too be faster; just imagine the spell in your nerves and other senses; that will boost your reaction time. I'll give you some magics to hold you over till you can acquire your own." Quistis said as she juctioned some spells to her body. Afterwards, Quistis handed five thunders, fire, and blizzard spells, those being the weakest and easiest for those just starting the use of junctioning to their bodies.

"Is that all?" Rinoa:

"No, in order to gain new magic you just have to concentrate on the enemy you want to take the magic from and then concentrate on the spell you want. Then it'll be yours. Though if you try to do that with out back up, then you are as good as dead. One more thing, you do know how to use your gunblade, right?" Quistis explained while miming the art of Drawing.

"Oh heavens no! It's not like I've been practicing with it for 10 years. What kind of stupid question is that?" Rinoa sarcastically responded, tired at being treated like a freshman.

"Well, no need to get bitchy with me! I don't want anything to happen to you when we're at the Fire Cave." Quistis said in a playful, yet concerned, tone in her voice.

"………Whatever." Rinoa and Quistis said at the same time. After a small giggle, Quistis ordered the beginning of their trek into the Balamb wilderness. Rinoa armed with her gunblade and Quistis armed only with a leather whip.

Balamb Island had a temperate climate. There weren't many important landmarks on the island, but it was home. Aside from the Fire Cave and the Garden where SeeDs were trained the only other place of importance was the city of Balamb. As Rinoa and Quistis made their way to the East towards the Fire Cave they were ambushed by a Catachipiller. These caterpillar-like monsters are 6ft tall and 7ft long with tiny arm like legs and a poisonous barb at their end and make their home on the island and are carnivorous.

"Crap, I don't have time for this!" Rinoa spited out as she readied her gunblade and charged the green monster.

Yelling as she drove her blade into the monsters gut. As she pulled the sword out, the monster lunged at Rinoa with its tiny arms and grabbed hold of Rinoa's arm and sends a wave of energy into Rinoa, through its eyes. Quistis, seeing her student in trouble, cracks the whip into the Catachipiller's face, destroying one of its eyes. With a roar, the monster threw Rinoa to the ground and thrashed around.

"Rinoa, get to your feet and finish this bastard off!" Quistis yells as she avoids the poisonous barb that was swiped in her direction.

Rinoa, not missing a beat, runs up to the monster and slices through, what could be called a neck, with her sword. The monster falls to the ground with a thud, as its green fluids spilled out on the ground. After the creature stopped moving, Quistis walks up to the dead body looking at something that has caught her eye. Seeing a silky strand coming out of the creature's mouth, she picks it up and studies it. As, she studied the silky strand, it started to crumble in her hands as her eyes glowed with a blue energy.

"What just happened?" Rinoa was looking obviously confused as she said this.

Quistis simply got up and started walking towards the Fire Cave as she talked, "I have a special ability that lets me learn certain abilities my enemies use. Depends on the creature and what item I have acquired."

Quistis and Rinoa make their way to the Fire Cave after spending half the day on the road. Finally arriving there, they were stopped by two men dressed in Balamb Garden staff uniforms.

"Your objective: Obtain a low-level GF. A qualified SeeD must be your support. Are you ready?" Balamb Guard said looking forward.

"Yes, I am." Rinoa responded standing straight as a board and saluting.

"I'm her support. Instructor No. 14, Quistis Trepe." Quistis said while saluting as well.

"Now select a time limit for your trial. It must be one that challenges you, yet long enough to finish." Balamb Guard said with a pen to a pad he pulled out of his robe.

"Twenty minutes." Rinoa said without a hint of arrogance.

"Very well. Good luck on your trial." The Balamb Guard said while filling marking down on the pad he was holding

Rinoa enters the cave followed by Quistis. Fire Cave isn't just a name. The place is a volcano, figuratively and literally. There is only one path to walk and one wrong step and, well, it's been a nice life. After walking a few minutes in silence and heat, Quistis breaks the silence.

"My job is to support you in battle. Anything else you do is your choice." Quistis said, still sounding like a teacher.

"Fine." Rinoa responded, not even paying full attention due to the heat of the cave.

They continue on their way towards the back in silence for a short while. After a few minutes of silence with nothing but air currents and the sounds of bats, Quistis stopped and broke the silence.

"I'm glad I'm the one with you on this test. The guys that have this test with me are usually so nervous that they choke. It gets annoying really, at least with you I feel…..happy, for some reason."

Rinoa simply rolled her eyes. "We have a time limit. You know that right?"

Her reaction caused Quistis to smile.

"I'm just joking with you. Trying to keep you relaxed, god knows both you and Seifer need to loosen up. If you two hadn't broken up you would have been a deadly team. His lose, I guess." Quistis added that last part under her breath. Then they continued towards the end of the cave in silence.

Upon entering the further most room of the cave, a 7' brown furred demon burst out of the magma and landed on the dry ground. The magma, still on him, dripping from his body and melting the rock he stood on.

"_**Who dares impose upon my sanctuary? I am Ifrit, demon lord of fire! I shall rend all who trespass, to ember. Prepare yourself!"**_ The Horned Demon-like GF yelled.

Rinoa gripped her gunblade tightly in her hands and stood in fighting position.

"Quistis, I need you to prepare Shiva. I'll keep him distracted." Rinoa ordered as she prepared to charge after the setup had started.

"Understood." Quistis said as she put her hands together and started to chant. As she put all her concentration into the ice queen's power, Rinoa charged the fire lord, putting a deep slash into the demon's right arm.

'_**Very good, but you'll need a lot more than that to take me down!"**_ Ifrit yells as he pulls his left arm back and back hands Rinoa in the chest, sending her flying into one of the pillars standing on the edge of the rock platform that they were standing on. Out of breath, Rinoa struggled to keep herself up with her gunblade as she pointed her hand at Ifrit and yelled "Blizzard!" sending a blast of cold wind towards Ifrit. He managed to block the full force of the attack with his arms, causing them to turn into a darker shade of brown, and him to yell out in pain.

"Quistis, DO IT NOW!" Rinoa yelled as she got away from

Quistis snapped out of her trance and pointed her hand at Ifrit. The ground in front of her immediately froze and a spear of ice thrust out of the ground. The massive spear of ice shatters to reveal a half nude, blue woman. She stares at Ifrit and then smiles.

"_**You will burn in my frozen grasp! DIAMOND DUST!"**_ Shiva yelled as she clapped her hands together and slowly pulled them apart as a ball of freezing air grew larger and larger. Once it was the size of a head, she threw the ball at Ifrit freezing him and the area around him in ice. She then simply snapped her fingers and caused all the ice to smash to pieces, causing Ifrit to scream in pain.

"_**You……You have Shiva with you? No matter, I……I will not let a mere….hu….mere…human defeat me!"**_ Ifrit manages to say as he tries to stand as Rinoa closed her eyes and took some Cure spells from him as he was distracted. After taking the spells from him, she ran up to him and slashed him in the chest five times, and then jumped back and dashed at him with her gunblade dragging across the ground behind her. And right before smashing into him, she started raising her sword and putting a deep vertical gash into him. She then jumped back and stood there, gasping for breath.

_**I…..can't…..No more; you are truly powerful, to stand toe to toe against me and survive. It would be an honor to fight by your side. Call upon me whenever you need some extra firepower.**_ Ifrit says as his physical form fades away into a mist like energy that is absorbed by Rinoa. She then used one of the Cure spells she had taken during the fight and cured herself of the bruising she had taken from the bashing she had taken. Quistis walked up to her.

"Very good judgment during that fight. If it was up to me, I would already make you a SeeD, but I'm not and you still have the rest of the Field Exam. When you are ready we should head back to the Garden." Quistis says as she and Rinoa make their way back to the entrance of the Fire Cave.

Hope you all enjoyed reading this. Review please.


	3. Return to Balamb Garden

Author's Notes: Don't own Final Fantasy VIII.

Here's Chapter three. Please read and review.

As Quistis and Rinoa turn around to leave, they a low rumble behind them. They stood there stunned as part of the roof behind them fell into the magma pit that Ifrit had blasted himself out of before the fight against the fire demon lord began. As the roof of the cavern rained down as larger and larger chunks and at a faster and faster rate, the two women begin running and avoiding chunks of stone that land in front of them. With one final dive, the two escape the cave in.

"That was a close call. Guess Shiva did more damage than we thought." Quistis said as she dusts herself off.

"Can we go now?" Rinoa says as she picks herself up. The two women make their way down the road back towards the Garden in silence.

Upon their arrival at the front gate of the Garden, Quistis stops and turns to Rinoa; Rinoa immediately stands to attention as her instructor begins speaking:

"Well done. Let's see... I thought there was something else I needed to go over with you before you take the SeeD exam tomor-" Quistis was then interrupted by a member of the Balamb Garden staff. The staff member handed Quistis a pad, she looks over the pad as a worried look comes over her face.

"Unfortunately, there is a change in plans. Grab something to eat and change into your uniform. You are to assemble at the lobby at 1600 hours." Quistis said as she dismissed Rinoa with a salute.

Rinoa makes her way to the cafeteria. After escaping a collapsing cave, the first thing she wanted was to sit down and eat. She grabs her tray of food and finds an empty table and starts eating, ignoring the people walking up to her and some asking her how the "trip" with Quistis went, while others asked more…inappropriate questions about what happened up there. Once she finished her food and gone to her dorm, she takes off her regular black clothing and puts on her blue military uniform. After stretching a bit to make her sure the uniform fits snuggly, she heads down to the lobby where groups of young men and women in blue uniforms are lined up. She saw Quistis waving her over.

"Rinoa! Over here! I'll be announcing the squad assignments for the exam now. Let's see… You'll be with… Zell Dincht. I hear he's quite a lively fellow." Quistis says while reading off the pad in her hand.

"Lively? He's just loud and obnoxious. Can't I switch members?" Rinoa states as she looks over at the blond man practicing kicks and punches.

"I'm afraid that's not possible. Over here, Zell!" Quistis says to Rinoa before whistling to attract the blond haired man in the blue and black vest and shin length, blue pants.

"Whoa! I'm with you! You don't get along with Seifer, do you? I heard he whooped you pretty bad yesterday." Zell said with enthusiasm as Rinoa rolled her eyes and looked away from him.

"We weren't fighting. It was supposed to be for training." Rinoa said harshly.

"I bet you he doesn't think so. Look, Seifer's just being a pain in the ass. All you have to do is ignore him." Zell said while trying to be friendly.

"That's…" Rinoa was about to finish but she was cut off.

"…None of your business. Ahem… Excuse me, but… That Seifer you're talking about… Yea, he's your squad leader." Quistis said while looking at Zell.

"SAY WHAT!" Zell said with shock, his mouth hanging open.

"Sorry Zell, it can't be changed. Seifer! Are you here?" Quistis said apologetically to Zell before calling Seifer's name.

The man in grey, Seifer, arrives followed by the platinum haired woman named Fujin, and the tall dark skinned man named Raijin. They stand there for a while waiting.

"Seifer, you're the squad leader. Good luck to you." She says looking at Seifer.

"…Instructor. I hate it when people wish me luck. Save those words for a bad student that needs them, eh?" Seifer says indignantly.

"Oh, ok then. Good luck, Seifer." Quistis said with a hint of humor in her voice.

"Add Instructor Trepe to the list." Seifer says with a snap of his fingers. Fujin nods her head. Seifer then waves Fujin and Raijin away.

"Well then. You're all assigned to Squad B. I'll be the instructor in charge. Teamwork is of the utmost importance. Let's get through this exam, everyone!" Quistis says while looking at Seifer, Zell, and Rinoa.

"Alright, you two, listen up! Teamwork means staying out of my way. It's a Squad B rule. Don't you forget it!" Seifer says arrogantly.

Quistis noticing a man in a pressed vest and pantsuit stands to attention and gives the order to the students to pay attention.

"Is everyone here? …Good. It's been a while everyone. How's everyone doing? This mission is taking the place of our originally scheduled exam. It will involve 12 members from Squads A through D… You will be proceeding to a real battlefield. Obviously, the battles are for real. Life and death, victory and defeat, honor and disgrace… Each of these go hand in hand. There's only one way or the other. How 'bout it? Are you still up for it? You will be accompanied by 9 SeeD members. Should you fail, these members shall get the job done. They always do. Well that's one less worry on your mind. The pride of Balamb Garden! The elite mercenary force, SeeD! Learn from them, obey their commands and accomplish the mission. Prove yourself worthy of becoming a member of SeeD. I wish you all the best of luck." Headmaster Cid says while looking at the group of young men and women.

After his speech, the groups disperse into their designated Squads and make their ways to the Garden cars headed towards the port town of Balamb.

With Squall's group taking the last car for Balamb, they sit in silence. Well that is the case until Zell breaks the silence.

"Rinoa, can I see your gunblade?" Zell asked while sitting down.

Rinoa just responds with silence

"C'mon!" Zell pleads.

Again, Rinoa just responds with silence.

"Please, just a peek!" Zell pleads harder.

There is more silence from Rinoa.

"Tch, fine... Yeah, yeah... Why you bein' so selfish! Scrooooge!" Zell now sounding more like a young child than the near 17 year old he is.

Rinoa just responds with a roll of her eyes.

"Say somethin', will ya! W-What's on your mind?" Zell sits quietly.

"…Nothing" Both Quistis and Rinoa say. Rinoa then gives a glare to Quistis and Zell being quiet before getting up and warming up with some punches.

"Stop that... It's annoying. ...Chicken-wuss." Seifer angrily snaps at Zell, who stops what he was doing.

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME!" Zell yelled at Seifer, as looks like he is about to punch Seifer in the face. Who only laughs a little bit.

"Zell! Seifer! Knock it off. NOW!" Quistis yelled at both of them

"…Instructor… There was a girl in the infirmary this morning. Do you know who it was?" Rinoa asked after a few moments of silence.

"I didn't notice anybody. Is there a problem?" Quistis responded after taking a while to think.

"No… Not really…" Rinoa said quietly.

"This is great… I have Chicken-wuss and a girl who's coming out in my squad… Seifer says with a sarcastic tone in his voice.

Zell shakes his fist at Seifer, obviously angry, but otherwise keeping his cool.

As the car makes its way into Balamb, everyone stays calm. Their minds remain focused on what is about to happen. Once the car stops and everyone gets out, Rinoa then gets a good look at the blue hydrofoil docked at the port.

"So that's the vessel…?" Rinoa says looking at the boat.

"There's no turning back now. Huh? You scared, too?" Seifer responds pushing past Rinoa.

"Hey! You guys are the last! Hurry up and get in!" The Garden Staff yells at the group as they stand there looking at the boat.

"Don't disappoint me now." Seifer says to Rinoa as he walks into the boat.

"Come on, move it! Hurry, Rinoa!" Quistis says as she follows Seifer and Zell. When Rinoa gets into the ship, the door latches shut and makes its way towards their destination.

Hope you had fun. Please review.


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